Rescued Grey Seal Ready for Release in Ocean City, MD

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Ponyboy, a rescued grey seal named after a famous 1980’s character in the movie The Outsiders, is ready to return home following two and a half months of rehabilitation with the National Aquarium Animal Rescue team. He was admitted on Sunday, March 31 from Ocean City, MD and required treatment for a severe wound to his left front flipper as well as a mild respiratory infection. Ponyboy’s flipper injury was quite severe and, though the cause of the wound is unknown, has healed well with minor surgery and routine wound treatment. Recent x-rays of the affected area indicate that the bone has healed well with no signs of infection and he is using his flipper normally.

Since 1991, National Aquarium’s Animal Rescue program has been responsible for responding to stranded marine mammals and sea turtles along the Delmarva (Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia) Peninsula, primarily along the nearly 7,000 miles of Maryland coast. The team has successfully rescued, treated, and returned nearly 100 animals to their natural habitats. National Aquarium’s Animal Rescue program is a member of the Northeast Stranding Network (NERS) through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). National Aquarium is one facility among a network of nationally recognized facilities that work cooperatively to respond to stranded marine mammals and sea turtles.